Jovenel Moise declared winner of Haiti’s Presidential elections

Sangeeta Nair

Jan 4, 2017 18:30 IST

Businessman Jovenel Moise was declared the official winner of Haitian Presidential Elections on 3 January 2017.

Moise, who was representing former President Michel Martelly’s the Haitian Tet Kale Party (PHTK), won a clear majority in the Presidential elections by getting 55.6% of the total votes cast, beating his closest rival Jude Celestine who received only 19.5% of the total votes cast. The elections were held on 20 November 2016.

Key Highlights

• Moise in his victory speech spoke about combating corruption and spreading national unity. • Supporters of Maryse Narcisse, the candidate of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s Fanmi Lavalas Party and leftist candidate Moise Jean-Charles protested against Moise’s lead when the preliminary results were released, accusing him of fraud. • While Maryse Narcisse finished fourth by winning 9% of the total votes cast, Moise Jean-Charles finished third with 11% of total votes cast. • Electoral tribunal maintained its decision on Moise’s win and cleared that there was no major fraud in the election.

The results have come at a time when the impoverished Caribbean nation is still recovering from hurricane Matthew, which caused endless destruction throughout the nation in October 2016. The hurricane killed around 1000 people and left over one million displaced and in need of humanitarian assistance.

• 48-year-old Moise runs a banana export company, which he sees as a model for rural development. • Even in his campaign, Moise branded himself as the ‘Banana Man’. • He was chosen as a presidential candidate by former President Michel Martelly for his party the Haitian Tet Kale Party in 2015. Michel Martelly had ended his term without having an elected successor. • Moise had received 32.8% of the total votes cast in the first round of elections, held in October 2015. However, the results were declared fraud by thousands of protestors, resulting in postponing of the elections.

The new President-Elect is expected to take office by 7 February 2017, ending the term of the interim President Jocelerme Privert who had taken over when Martelly left office without a successor. In his new role, Moise would be facing the huge task of reviving the economy of Haiti and rebuilding the nation.

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